Chapter Chapter Five
Two months later-
It's been a few months since I've been in the hospital, Alex had stayed until I was released then he insisted, more like forced me to let him give me a ride home in a very expensive looking car that seems like something out of Fast and The Furious.
When I had actually gotten home, I had to make the stubborn giant let me walk to the door by myself and to stop a few houses down so my parents wouldn't see. If they had seen, my mother would've freaked out, mostly about the car and that someone actually wanted me around them, Alex's windows were tinted thankfully.
My rib is healed, mostly. I'm pretty sure my father paused the process of healing when he greeted me with a good beating for coming home, he had landed many kicks and punches to my torso, as well as my arms and other limbs, along with my face.
School has been very different and I'm starting to be concerned, Joseph hasn't bullied me, neither has Eric or Devin. In fact, Eric avoids me entirely and looks away whenever I find him staring at me. No one pushes me around, not that a lot did, just people would join in on comments and beatings, now no one does.
I'm concerned because what if they're planning something? For all I know, they could be planning on ambushing me on my way back from lunch or class. I wouldn't stand a chance against the whole basketball team that would probably be overjoyed to get to unleash some pent up anger on me.
I haven't necessarily seen Alex since he dropped me off, I've caught a glance of him in the hallway a few times, all of which have been him watching me from afar. I can feel him watching me at lunch while I eat, it's rather unsettling when I'm already on edge from the unusual peacefulness as of recently.
Not to mention its a little embarrassing to know a strong, attractive and intimidating man is watching me when I'm sitting alone, eating cautiously while my eyes scan everyone and anything, hunched slightly over the table.
He hasn't spoken to me and I haven't tried, being too paranoid and having a small twinge of fear of him to even walk up to him. Alex just simply watches me, it doesn't make sense to me when he had said he wanted me at the hospital, but as long as he isn't using me a punching bag I'm okay with whatever.
Currently, I'm going to the locker rooms for the gym, I know I'll be late for class but the teacher is aware of my situation and lets me off easy. I'm not 'allowed' to go in the boy's locker room according to the school and I'm not welcome in the girl's room. Whenever I try the girls either scream and push me out or the boys yell at me and say some nasty stuff.
I have some more bruises on my face, a dark purple one on my jaw and there's a handprint on my throat in yellow and blue. My father decided I'm not good enough for the world anymore and thought he'd kill me himself, thankfully I managed to knee him in the stomach and getaway.
As I enter the small hall the locker rooms are at I see Kylie, she's like me; Transgender, male to female. She's a really sweet girl, she doesn't deserve to be bullied like she is, I would gladly take whatever she's getting from these students.
We don't talk much because we don't have many classes together but she has my number and we text when she has a problem she wants to talk about.
She's leaning against the wall, a defeated expression on her face and cute pout as she stares at the wall. She's in a pink shirt and some white skinny jeans, her hair is to her shoulders and matches her brown eyes.
"Hey, Kylie. What's with the pout, Beautiful?" I ask, standing next to her as she jumps, her eyes wide as she looks at me, relief flooding them. She smiles, I always make sure to compliment her, knowing what it's like to be insulted and misgendered.
"Hi, Hunter. They won't let me in again, I don't know why I even try, I mean I should just stop as you did and save myself the humiliation." She explains, nodding her head towards the girl's room where we hear girls gossiping.
"You can't give up, Girlie. I didn't, I just stopped trying to go in with them in there, I'm focused on getting the school to support us anyway. Sooner that happens, the sooner we can go to where we should be." I nudge her shoulder with mine, watching her smile widen at the nickname.
The school isn't supportive of us, telling us we can't go into bathrooms or locker rooms, we can't do this or that because our gender isn't the one we were born with. It's like we have no rights in this building, we don't get the freedom of going to our respective rooms to either use to the bathroom or change. It's stupid and needs to be fixed immediately for future Trans kids and us now.
"Really? I wonder if they'll actually listen, I don't think they will though, they seem pretty set on making life even more of a hell for us." I nod, the school isn't budging with the 'rules' for us now.
"Yeah, I don't think they will either. We apparently need a list of names from supporters. They know no one supports us here, their just bastards who have no heart." Kylie's smile disappears hearing what the school wants, she knows we wouldn't be able to get people to sign something that does good to us.
Before she can say anything about it though, her eyes shift to something behind me, quickly tensing and her brown eyes fill with fear. My first guess is it's one of her bullies, or Joseph coming to get caught up on his missing beatings with his buddies.
"What is it, Baby girl?" I ask as I turn, only coming face to chest with a dark shirt that is tight against the body that wears it, muscled arms with tattoos covering them, long legs in black pants with boots.
Looking up, I'm met with unique eyes that stare down at me, I honestly pathetically flinch because he's closer then I had expected. Alex glances at Kylie, resulting in her gripping my wrist and lightly pulling.
"Hunter," Alex's baritone is deeper then I remember but sounds, as scared as this thought makes me, like heaven to my ears.
I can only hum as a reply, too focused on how he leans on the wall next to me and crosses his arms which make his muscles move and strain against his shirt. His chest looks very broad and firm, but I can't help but think back to when he carried me and I'm reminded that it's actually very comfortable and cuddly. I quickly catch myself and blink, ignoring that I even noticed that.
"Why are you out here? Shouldn't you be changing?" He asks, not sounding at all curious like he already knows the reason.
"Uh, we're not exactly welcomed or allowed in the locker rooms." Is all I say, making sure to say 'we' because Kylie is with me and I don't want her to feel left out.
Alex only nods silently, his eyes flicking back to Kylie for a few seconds before he scans my body slowly. My breathing pauses as he does, unsure if that means he'll attack me or attack me sexually, both of which isn't good.
Then he turns his back to us without a word, leaving us watching him as he goes into the girl's locker room, immediately having girls scream, either in fear or happiness because most scream his name.
I can hear his voice through the door but I can't make words out, what is he doing? This guy gives no fucks, probably because he's a giant and rich, he can pay his way out of anything or beat up anyone in his way. I just can't imagine why he'd walk into the girl's locker room unless he's planning on getting someone to warm his bed tonight, but why do that right now?
After a minute or two in silence, listening to Alex's voice pause a few times, he walks back out as if nothing happened in there with his hands in his pockets and his emotionless expression.
"You'll be late if you stand around, go change." He directs his words at Kylie who's lips part as if she's about to protest against him but one hard look has her side hugging me and mumbling a 'see you later, Hunter'.
I watch as she walks into the girl's locker room, not hearing anything of the usual, no one even looks at the door as it opens. My jaw drops a little because that's the first time no one has said anything, let her enter.
"How did you-" I look up at Alex, only seeing a small smirk as if he enjoys my reaction.
"I didn't do anything. Come on." Alex suddenly grips my wrist and gently pulls me along with him as he walks from the rooms while I feel fear tickle my spine.
I try to glue myself to the floor but I end up sliding to my horror, struggling to get him to release me but he only grips tighter as he effortlessly drags me through hallways. I don't know what he wants and that scares me, he could want to hurt me, he could do anything and that includes knocking me unconscious with a single punch; trying to or not.
He doesn't speak as he takes me to this unknown place, only adding to my paranoid self, what if he's the ring leader of the ambush? He could be taking me the place I'll die.
Am I over exaggerating? Maybe. But I'm so used to people beating on me that its the first thing I think of.
He walks at a normal pace but his legs are so long that I'm stumbling to catch up and nearly face plant a few times when he realizes this, he slows down and drags me more carefully. I sigh in relief of that, it's such a helpless feeling at being dragged in the first place but to be stumbling and falling at the same, it's painfully humiliating.
Alex ends up leading me under some stairs by an exit that leads to the parking lot, he situates me into a corner and stands in front of me; successfully trapping me in my doom. He doesn't say anything, just watches me avoid his eyes by staring at a metal rob on the floor, subconsciously wondering why it's here and what it's for.
"What happened to you?" My eyes snap to his in shock, that he even said anything because he seems to like to be quiet and that he even cares what happened to me.
Before I can answer he continues, "Did someone here do that? That Eric dude?"
My lips are parted and my eyes are wide, he knows Eric? Does he actually care? Why does that matter? Of course, he knows Eric, he's popular, they no doubt hung out a few times. But the could be bad on my part, Eric hurts me, if he knows Eric, what will he do?
"Um..uh... No. A-actually no one has hurt me, it's honestly concerning...." I press myself into the wall seeing his eyebrow lift as if he's thinking.
"Concerning? How's that?"
"Oh..well, I figure if their stopping they must be planning something, now I'm more paranoid than usual." I bite my lip, suddenly aware just how weird I sound.
Alex stares at me as if I'm an alien like he doesn't understand something and it makes me more nervous than I already am, did I say something wrong? Will, he hurt me now? Or does he enjoy playing with his victims? I press myself more into the wall at that thought, I'm probably just his plaything, something to get his sadistic thoughts off with.
That's probably why cares of someone else hurt me and gave me bruises, he doesn't want me marked so he can beat them onto my skin himself. He's gaining my trust so he hurt me as I parents did, he'll probably promise things, he'll say what he thinks I want to hear and when he thinks I trust him; he'll hurt me and he'll scar me.
"No one is hurting you here then. So answer my question, who is hitting you?" I gulp at how Alex stares me down, his multi-colored eyes blank but they have a certain emotion I can't place.
I can't answer him if I did I'd be in more trouble. I need to think of a good enough lie, which difficult for me to come up with when I'm put on the spot, I usually have time to come up with one. That being said, I simply blurt out the first thing I think of; "I fell off my skateboard at the skate park."
I curse myself when Alex merely rolls his eyes, obviously not believing me, most people would but he seems to know when I'm lying and that is not a good thing. I basically survive with lying, if I don't and told everyone, my parents would kill me.
If Alex knows when I lie, the secret could be out in a matter of minutes, then when I get home, I'd probably be met with cops and my parents acting all innocent. It'd be me against two outstanding citizens who pay taxes and work at a small flower shop with no crimes on their records and who are extremely nice to everyone. Nothing would happen, except me being beaten by both when the police leave and the door closes.
"And you just happen to grab your throat so hard you bruise on your way down? Is that what you're telling me?" Alex's tone is a bit sarcastic, finding my attempt at lying to him less than funny by the look of his face.
I just nod slowly, "I- I'm really clumsy and grab at stuff... I had nothing to grab..so, um, I grabbed my neck.."
My eyes stay focused on the metal rod behind his giant frame, missing his small head shake and another eye roll.
I hear him sigh, "I don't enjoy being lied to, Hunter. Although I won't push you to tell me, you can't keep lying, especially if it involves someone hurting you. I will find out, whether by you or not."